Confessions of a oenophile: reviews of highly rated wines, grocery store finds, and all other kinds.

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Jim Barry The Cover Drive

Jim Barry The Cover Drive Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

Coonawarra, Australia

jimbarry.com

So, confession time. I know this might be verboten among wine people, but I'm not the biggest fan of BIG red wines. Many rich, opulent California style Cabernets just fall flat with me. I'm looking for more acidity, more bite, less oak...

You can just imagine my joy when I discovered the wonderful Cabernets of Coonawarra a few years back. The wines I've tasted have been delicious examples of pure Cab, without being (what I would consider) over ripe or over oaked. Perfect for me!

Review: The Cover Drive (named for an old cricket field, the one which the vineyard now resides) is a deep ruby color. It has fresh aromas of blackberry, black currant leaf, and sweet green herbs. The palate is dry with moderate acidity and smooth, fine grained tannin. The black fruits (blackberry, plum, currant) dominate the palate with just a hint of toasty oak and sweet vanilla. Mint - a signature of Coonawarra Cab - comes out, particularly on the finish. Food Pairing:Lamb burgers made with dill and parsley. The herbs in the burger play beautifully with the herbaceous note in the wine.

Bottom Line: One of my favorite Cabernets, beautiful purity of fruit. So well balanced, full flavored but not overly opulent. A home run (or however cricket is scored) in my book.